IUCN Species of the Day: Honduran White Bat

 

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(tm)

Photo credit: Kevin Schafer

 

The Honduran White Bat, Ectophylla alba, is listed as ‘NEAR THREATENED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesTM. True to its name, this tiny bat has a distinctive white coat, and is restricted to specific habitats in the lowlands of the Caribbean slopes of Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and northwestern Panama. It feeds on the fruits of very few species of trees, and is one of a number of bat species that roost in ‘tents’ formed by altering the shape of plant leaves.

As a rainforest inhabitant, the loss and degradation of Central America’s forests is the principal threat to the Honduran White Bat. The population is currently undergoing a significant decline, and in the absence of conservation measures is likely to be up-listed to a more threatened category in the future.

At present, there are no specific conservation measures in place for the Honduran White Bat, but it is at least known to occur in several protected areas.

 

Geographic Range of the Honduran White BatCredit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ 

 

To learn more about the Honduran White Bat, click here.  Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.

 

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To learn more about the Bush Warriors “Species of the Day” feature, please click here and read up on our initiative to raise awareness about the loss of earth’s biodiversity.

 

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